A substantial demand for cerium oxide compositions has developed over the last 10-15 years. Cerium oxide compositions are used in diverse industries such as the automobile and semiconductor industries. In the automobile industry cerium oxide is included in catalytic converter coatings where it helps to oxidize incomplete combustion products. In the semiconductor industry, cerium oxide is used as an abrasive composition for polishing semiconductor wafers. Cerium oxide also is used for polishing glass, as an absorber for ultraviolet light, in cosmetics, in mixtures for petroleum-refining catalysts, in nickel-hydride batteries, as glass additives, in structural ceramics, in televisions, as part of oxygen sensors, and as an iron and steel additive.
Various methods have been disclosed for the production of pyrogenic cerium oxide compositions. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,851,507 (Pirzada) discloses a method of producing pyrogenic cerium oxide by processing powdered cerium oxide at very high temperatures using a plasma arc reactor. However, there continues to be a need for other cerium oxide compositions and methods for their production. The present invention provides such a composition and method. These and other advantages of the present invention, as well as additional inventive features, will be apparent from the description of the invention provided herein.